Knitting-machine.



, Patented-Agusta, 190|. G. LRUTLEDG-E. ,Knimq MACHINE. (Appl at. on ledD 16 1899 (No Model.)

TN: mams PETERS co.. Puoramho. wnsmncron n c UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GEORGE E. RUTLEDGE, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEORGE I).WHITCOMB COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,140, dated April30, 1901.

Application filed December 16, 1899. Serial No. 740,491. (No model.)

To aN, whom, it may con/cern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. RUTLEDGE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines,ofwhich the following is a specification, and which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to that type of knitting-machines in which twobanks of needles are employed, the several needles reciprocating acrossan intervening slot between the two banks, through which slot theknitted fabric is drawn, and it relates particularly to that part ofsuch a machine which is known as the fabric-depressor; and it consistsin the mechanism hereinafter fully described, and which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a detail transversevertical section of a knitting-machine, the yarn-carrier andfabric-depressor being shown in end elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail planview of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section of theyarn-carrier and needle-plate, the fabric-depressor being shown in sideelevation; and Fig. 4: is a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4of Fig. 3.

The supporting-rails for the upper edges of the needle-plates 11 areshown at 10, the

slide-bars for driving the cam-carriages at 12,I

the upper guide-rails at 13, casting-off jacks at 14, and the frame ofthe yarn-carrier at 15. The yarn-carrying mechanism, aside from theframe, I have not deemed it necessary to show in this case.

The fabric-depressor is in the form of disk wheels 16, one of which ismounted at each end of the yarn-carrier frame 15, so as to bear upon thestitches as they are castoff the needles. As a convenient means formounting the wheels 16 I employ a block 17, attached to the end of theyarn-carrier frame by screws or other means, this block being verticallyapertered and a bar 18 fitting loosely within such aperture. The lowerend of the bar 18 is slotted, and between the two arms thus formed thewheel 16 is journaled. The upper end of the bar 1S is reduced to form astem 20, which projects above the block 17 and around which is'coiled anexpansion-spring 21,whicli reacts between the shoulders formed byreducing the diameter of the bar18 and an apertured screw-plug 22, setinto the upper end of the aperture of the block 17, the stem 20projecting loosely through the aperture of the plug. The spring 21forces the bar 18 downwardly, and its movement in this direction islimited by means of a stud 19, projecting laterally from the bar throughan elongated aperture in the block 17. The tension of the spring 21 maybe adjusted by means of the plug 22, and the function of the spring isto hold the wheel 16 yieldingly against the fabric.

The carrier 15 is adapted to reciprocate upon the rails 13, and therearward depressor only in each direction of movement is in service andperforms the function' of forcing the stitches downwardly upon the loopsheld on the needles.

I claim as my invention- 1. Ina knitting-machine, in combination,

.a yarn-carrier frame, and a spring-depressed disk wheel carried therebyfor depressing the fabric as formed.

2. In a knitting-machine, in combination, a yarn-carrier frame, a barloosely carried by and projecting downwardly from such frame,

a spring for yieldingly holding the bar in its

